The Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) plans to transition to paperless testing and assessment of learners at the basic education level from next year, marking a significant shift towards an electronic evaluation system that has already been adopted in teacher training colleges.
The move is expected to save the government billions of shillings currently spent every year on the printing, handling and distribution of examination papers across the country.
If implemented as planned, the final cohort under the 8-4-4 system will become the first and only Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) class to sit their examinations digitally as the country completes its transition to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum.
The transition is expected to enhance the accuracy of examination administration, reduce operational costs and minimise irregularities and cheating, which have historically undermined paper-based national examinations.
Beyond supporting the country's digital transformation agenda, computer-based assessment is also expected to significantly reduce marking delays and facilitate faster release of results by replacing large portions of manual marking with AI-supported electronic assessment systems.
Although KNEC is yet to release specific guidelines, official testing parameters for teacher training colleges and provisions contained in the Conduct and Management of E-Assessments, 2024 guidelines for basic education institutions are expected to inform the administration of the Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KPSEA), Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA) and KCSE examinations.
Under the framework, traditional examination centres will be replaced by E-Assessment Centres. School principals will also be required to engage ICT experts to operate, maintain and troubleshoot the infrastructure supporting the electronic assessment process.
While the government stands to save substantial amounts currently spent on printing examination papers and managing associated transport logistics, considerable investment will equally be required to establish adequate and reliable digital infrastructure.
This will include acquisition of computer devices with sufficient processing power and storage capacity, as well as peripheral equipment such as printers and scanners necessary for the assessment process.
Each assessment centre will also be required to maintain an offline server dedicated to handling e-assessment activities.
The server must have sufficient capacity to support data storage, processing and backup requirements without depending on internet connectivity.
To safeguard the integrity and confidentiality of examinations, the servers will be required to operate under robust security protocols capable of protecting assessment data from unauthorised access.
In addition, centres will need stable and reliable internet connectivity to facilitate downloading of assessment materials and uploading of results.
Backup internet connections will also be necessary to ensure continuity in the event of primary network failures.
Other mandatory requirements include a steady power supply and a secure network environment with controlled access to assessment-related data and resources.
This will involve deployment of security tools such as firewalls, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and Access Control Lists (ACLs).
Learners themselves will also be expected to meet certain requirements before sitting the electronic examinations.
To facilitate the KNEC e-assessment process, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in basic computer operations and system navigation.
Should the same standards currently applied in teacher training colleges be adopted for schools, every candidate will be expected to use a laptop meeting specific technical requirements.
These include a licensed Windows 10 operating system version 22H2 and above, a minimum 14-inch screen with a display resolution of at least 1920 by 1080 pixels.
Other minimum specifications include an integrated webcam, a 256GB SSD hard drive, 8GB memory, a sixth-generation Core i3 processor or higher, an internal battery capable of lasting at least three hours and wireless internet connectivity compliant with IEEE 802.11 standards.
The actual administration of electronic assessments is designed to be highly secure.
Candidates will access examinations through a secure e-assessment platform using unique login credentials assigned to them.
Supervisors and invigilators will verify the identity of each learner and ensure that no unauthorised websites, applications or materials are accessed during the examination period.
The assessment software includes interactive tools that allow candidates to answer multiple-choice questions, fill in blanks and type short responses using a rich text editor.
For practical or more complex subjects, learners may also be required to scan and upload handwritten workings, assignments or project files for assessment.
Once a candidate completes the examination or the allocated time expires, the assessment is submitted electronically for marking.
Candidates are supposed to click the "submit for grading" option once they finish writing the exam.
No extension of time is allowed as the system automatically submits unfinished examinations once time runs out.
The papers are then marked digitally, significantly reducing turnaround time and supporting AI-assisted evaluation, ultimately enabling faster release of examination results.
An AI illustration of a digital examination in session
